Fingering device for self-playing stringed instruments



H. K. SANDELL. FINGERING DEVICE FOR SELF PLAYINGSTRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED NDV. 8. i920.

Patnted June 14, 1921.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY K. SANDELL, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HERBERT S. MILLS, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FINGERING DEVICE FOR SELF-PLAYING STRINGEI) INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 14, 1921.

Application vfiled November 8, 1920. Serial No. 422,459.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, HENRY K. SANDELL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at 221 South Green street, Chicago, n in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fingering Devices for Self-Playing Stringed Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates primarily to improvements in fingering mechanism for self-playing stringed instruments such as is described in Letters Patent No. 1,094,819, dated April 28, 1914; and it relates more particularly to improvements in the fingering levers described in that patent and in other patents granted to me for my inventions in self-playing instruments of the viol-class. An important object of the present invention is to provide a fingering lever which will produce tones with mcreased accuracy and clearness.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is an enlarged sectional view of the fingering mechanism, showing the fingering levers in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view in side elevation of the head of a fingering lever at an early stage of manufacture;

Fig. 3 and Fig. 1 are enlarged detail views in side elevation of the head of a fingering lever at an intermediate stage of production and in completed form, respectively; l

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the head of a fingering lever, on enlarged scale;

Fig. 6 is a plan view thereof, also on enlarged scale.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, the numeral 10 indicates the neck of a violin, shown in section, and 11 a support therefor. At one side of the instrument, and extending longitudinally thereof, are edgewiseemounted thin metal bars 12 corresponding in number with that of the strings of the violin, said bars being flanged at the top and bottom. Each bar 12 supports a row of electroniagnets 13, the number of which depends upon the number of finger1- ing levers desired to operate against the strings. Between the series of electromagnets and the instrument extend Slotted bar 14 and bar 15 provided with an upwardly projecting rib 16.

The bent fingering levers 17, are formed preferably of thin sheet steel, these levers fitting edgewise in the slots in bar 14, and

being alike except as to length. Each lever terminates at one end in a depending vsection 18 carrying an armature 19 to register with an electromagnet. Toward its opposite end, the lever is formed with a downwardly inclined section 19, having a notch,

notch 23 is more fully hereinafter described.

and illustrated in Figs. 2 to G. Light springs 30 are provided to hold the fingering levers ynormally disengaged from the strings.

In forming the head 22 and notch 23, the head 22, in its initial flat form is notched with a V-notch 23, as shown in Fig. 2. The sides 24 and 25 of this notch are then transversely offset as shown in Fig. 3, a short slit 26 extending downwardly from the bottom of the notch being likewiseifornied. rIhe sides of the notch are then forced into overlapping position, the size of the V-notcli being reduced to its final form 23, as shown in Figs. -1 and 6. The notch thus formed is accurate in gripping the strings of the instrument and is not rendered inaccurate by wear in use.

It is clearly apparent that other methods may be employed for the formation of the notch in the fingeringV lever, and it is not intended that the details of construction and manufacture hereinbefore set forth shall be regarded as limitations upon the scope of the invention, except in so far as included in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A fingering device for selfplaying stringed instruments of the violclass, said device being provided with a tapering string-engaging notch, the members forming the sides thereof being transversely offset with respect to each other and overlapping at the bottom of the notch.

2. A fingering lever for self playing stringed instruments of the viol-class, said lever being provided with a head having a tapering notch formed therein, the members forming the sides thereof being transversely offset with respect to each other and overlapping at the bottom of the notch.

HENRY K. SANDELL. 

